Anton Yelchin on Star Trek

Anton Yelchin plays Pavel Chekov in the new Star Trek movie, introducing a new cast as the original Enterprise crew. Working on the new set of the classic space ship has blown Yelchin away.

Anton Yelchin Goes Chekov

"It's pretty great," he said. "We were shooting a scene yesterday and you really just realize how epic it is. That word is so overused but it really is pretty epic. You just sit there and you're like, 'God damn, I'm on the Enterprise.' Would I ever have thought that I'd be on the Enterprise? No. It's pretty great. It's a pretty different experience though."

As for his interpretation of Chekov, he is replacing his Vs with Ws. "Chekov is the weirdest guy. Watching the old show really makes you realize just how strange, how incredible it was that they brought, first of all, a Russian character on right smack in the middle of the cold war. There's one scene where they're talking to Apollo or something, or the god that used to be Apollo in the old show. Apollo's like, 'I am Apollo!' and Chekov is like, 'And I am the czar of all Russias.' That's not how I choose to do the accent but they gave him these lines that he really is the weirdest, weirdest character so it's a lot of fun."

The old Enterprise has flashing, beeping lights. Yelchin could not give specifics about the new one. "It's pretty cool. All I can say is the way J.J. shoots it is really incredible. He really has the most incredible eye for entertainment. I think it looks really great. I'm going to actually come and just I think maybe work as a grip on set, seriously. I think it's a great opportunity to learn about filmmaking."

Signed for three films, Yelchin is fast becoming a Trekkie. "I mean, I love the old show. I really think the old show for what it was is really a great, great show. I watch it and really enjoy it. It's so perfectly cheesy and B, and absolutely unapologetic for it and I think that's what works. They shot this thing where they walk up to a cave that looks like it's made out of Styrofoam and Spock says, 'Oh, this is definitely advanced technology.' You're like, 'Yes, yes, that is advanced technology.' But it's really fun. It's a fun show to watch."